Matchday Thread: Port Vale v Grimsby Town

[valiantsireno]

Agreed about the midfield. I'm surprised Tonge started the second half because he was dreadful. Both he and Pugh dwell on the ball far too much and as a result our attacks lack pace. This was very obvious in the second half when our forward play - what there was of it - was so pedestrian I could have got back into defence against it with two arthritic knees.

 

Aspin had a hell of a job on his hands for the next couple of months. He can instill a bit of organisation but can he instill brains and skill into some of thes lads. Can he make silk purses out of sows ears. I bloody well hope so!

 

On a side note about Tonge, I don’t like singling people out but here goes, how can a man who’s not exactly shortcoming in the height department, be so incredibly bad at heading the ball? I don’t really see the point of Pugh either. Passes the ball 5 yards, doesn’t really break up play effectively and his attacking capabilities can only be likened to an avocado pear. I’m sure Aspin will be taking all this into consideration.

[Bald Eagle]

Apart from a simple tap in Pope did nothing other than whinge, moan and dive - certainly not genuine MOTM material. You clearly didn't go because it was Pope who gifted them a free header for the equaliser. If you read my post I stated that Denton was poor in the second half.

 

Too true. Their is none so blind as those that will not see. We will continue to struggle as long as a 1 in 10 game striker is viewed as the messiah because of one exceptional season!

[Valiant in Brum]

I find it embarrassing to read more comments bashing Pope. He scored our goal and led the line quite well I thought. The problem is we don't have players supporting him and reading his flicks and lay offs. He played well today.

 

I don't like berating players but if anyone deserved a bit of criticism today it was surely Tongue who gave away the ball too easily and lost every 50:50 challenge. Pugh was ok for me.

 

Had the likes of Whitfield, Kay and Worrall scored when they had chances to do so we could easily have won/drawn that game but hey let's bash Pope tonight. Ridiculous. We had half a dozen players much worse than him today.

 

Aspin will sort out this lot but it will take time. Rome was not built in a day. Everyone can see that we are fragile at the back, low in confidence and have no goalscorers in the team. Unfortunately it will take until January to address that problem.

 

I think this is a think with Vale fans, look at what happened when Constantine was here.

[jeffers]

What happened second half was more to do with Slades half time talk, Grimsby came out of the blocks quicker than us and before we knew it we were two goals down. Pope lost their player for the first goal and Dembele was not picked up by anybody for the second. Best player on show today by far. Had we have put another chance away first half it could have been a different outcome.

If it was 🤡 he would be slated, but quite rightly give Aspo and his team time to sort it. Good luck.

[grand prix pants]

If we go down it won't be Aspin's fault. He has been left the worst squad in living memory.

Pope and Smith weren't as bad as is being made out.

Tonge and Pugh were.

UTV

[FATBOYSTEVE]

Some you lot on here need give your heads a wobble. Aspin has had 2 days with one of the worst squads I have ever witnessed as a Vale fan. The man needs time to get the best out of the crap he's inherited. The first half was some of the best I've seen for a while now, second half was back to normal. I didn't expect to watch Brazil today but I know what we will see in time, is fight and passion, something that has been lacking

 

Sent from my Lenovo YT3-850F using the onevalefan mobile app

 

Good post and agree with most of it especially the "BRAZIL" bit having listened to vale fans on Pand Gwho described lowly Grimsby as a top side how deluded can u get ??

[Bald Eagle]

Pope is not a defender and I'll say again the ball for there equalizer was lost by Denton.And what does"he was fed today"mean?

 

He is when he's defending a set play! Isn't heading supposed to be his strength? One thing is for certain, even though he is no doubt our best paid striker, he won't get the goals to get us out of this mess.

[Bluedevil]

I find it embarrassing to read more comments bashing Pope. He scored our goal and led the line quite well I thought. The problem is we don't have players supporting him and reading his flicks and lay offs. He played well today.

 

I don't like berating players but if anyone deserved a bit of criticism today it was surely Tongue who gave away the ball too easily and lost every 50:50 challenge. Pugh was ok for me.

 

Had the likes of Whitfield, Kay and Worrall scored when they had chances to do so we could easily have won/drawn that game but hey let's bash Pope tonight. Ridiculous. We had half a dozen players much worse than him today.

 

Aspin will sort out this lot but it will take time. Rome was not built in a day. Everyone can see that we are fragile at the back, low in confidence and have no goalscorers in the team. Unfortunately it will take until January to address that problem.

 

Can you honestly say what Pope has contributed to justify a starting place every week? He's no longer the threat he was four years ago and therefore we shouldn't be shaping the tactics to accommodate his weaknesses, we should be bringing in another striker/system to cause opponents problems. Opponents no longer even bother to double-up when marking him, one defender is now usually adequate. Sentiment will cost us if we don't try something different offensively than bunting balls into the box to a largely immobile striker.

[philmpv]

To be fair, for their first goal, the corner was won by an excellent little bit of skill by their no 27 which sold Denton completely. It's not often I praise an oppo but he was a different class and won't be at this level come February 1st.

 

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[pete vale]

Roos, Kay, Gunning, Tonge, Pugh... all too slow, all costing us every game. No energy in midfield. Can't win a header anywhere on the park. Whitfield not fit enough, dead on his feet after 45, likewise Harness.

 

Aspo has really got his work cut out. Another bang average side to come away from Vale Park with 3 points.

 

Absolutely spot on, the whole spine of the side lacks pace - a recipe for disaster.

 

Can't believe Worrall did'nt start, the worst squad of players I have seen at the Vale.

 

Are there any 'out of contract' players out there better than what we have got until Jan?

[Biddulph_PV]

I think MB has well and truly left us in the brown stuff and even Mourinho couldn't fix this mess.

As one poster said, it was different yet the same.

First half we were ok, I thought the two full-backs were excellent in particular. It was obvious as the half wore on that Dembele would be an influence 2nd half and, as predicted, nobody in our laughable midfield got near him and he influenced both goals, skinning Gunning with a sublime bit of skill to win the corner for their first and scoring the second.

We then resorted to type and just lumped balls into the box hoping for something to drop. It was as predictable as it was poor and when I left on 89 mins I couldn't recall a serious effort on goal 2nd hall.

I cannot see what Aspin can do to improve things this side of January. If we are going to play with 3 upfront, then play with 3 actual forwards and go direct, so Pope, Barnett and Pyke/Turner for example. Tongue is, I'm afraid, past it and was absolutely awful today. Kay, again, past it and very poor.

On one hand, today could be a blessing in disguise as it certainly does not paper over any cracks. On another, it shows just what a pickle we are in after 2 years off total mismanagement.

[Ron Futchers combover]

Absolutely spot on, the whole spine of the side lacks pace - a recipe for disaster.

 

Can't believe Worrall did'nt start, the worst squad of players I have seen at the Vale.

 

Are there any 'out of contract' players out there better than what we have got until Jan?

 

Totally agree, the spine of our team is so slow it's untrue especially in midfield. We have no ball winner and no box to box midfielder. How many times this season has a midfield player got past any of our forwards? I can't think of any. We are desperate for pace through the spine of the team!

[Rampant Zebra]

Eagles but he has flown!

 

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[Class personified]

I thought I could see seeds of improvement today. We were unlucky to lose. The second goal seemed laissez faire defending again from our central defenders. I thought Pope, Gibbons, Whitfield and Denton (going forward) had a good game. Their no. 27 was excellent and the best player on the park. I think Aspo can get us out of this mess starting next Saturday.

[Loggerheads Sage]

Whats the position with our loanees, i keep hearing people say "send most of them back" - i didn't think you could. i thought they were here for the 6 or 12 months. Anyone know? We desperately need to get 8 to 10 out and, say, 4 quality players in in January. Good luck Aspo! I also wondered if Rudgie would be able to facilitate any loans from Stoke or Hull in January. Or Aspo bring a decent non league player in?